When Should Older Adults Stop Driving?
Losing the driving privilege due to the natural aging process can feel like a severe limitation to a loved one’s personal freedom and independence. Finding out it’s no longer safe for your loved one to drive because of declining vision, reflexes, or health status can feel like the first step toward a life of dependency – yet it’s necessary to protect his/her safety and that of others. Luckily, there are ways to talk to your loved one about when it’s time to stop driving. The first step is recognizing when this time has come.
Poor Reaction Times
Driving safely depends upon the ability to adapt and react to abrupt changes on the roadway. Avoiding collisions relies on quick response time to stopped vehicles, pedestrians running into the road, changing traffic lights, and bad weather. When an elderly person loses his or her ability to quickly react to things, he or she might not be fit for driving and could cause a serious car accident. Delayed reactions while driving and to other circumstances in life could be a sign that he or she lacks the cognitive abilities to continue driving.
Distracted Driving
Although drivers of all ages can be guilty of distracted driving, senior citizens may be more prone to becoming easily distracted by things while behind the wheel. A dangerous situation can arise when a driver can’t keep his or her attention on the roadway, due to cognitive difficulties. Your loved one might need to hang up his/her keys if you notice difficulty focusing on one task at a time, or one task for a long period of time. A wandering mind could be a sign that someone is too old or otherwise unfit to continue driving.
Physical Impairments
The ability to drive is largely cognitive, but physical challenges can impede driving as well. Issues such as loss of muscle strength, injuries, stiffness, inflexibility, or chronic pain can all get in the way of safe driving. Difficulty twisting around in the seat to look behind him/her while reversing, moving the neck to see all mirrors, or controlling the steering wheel due to physical injuries or disabilities could result in a break from driving while the individual undergoes treatment, recovery, or rehabilitation – or a permanent hiatus. The same is true if your loved one is at risk of heart attack, stroke, or other sudden issue that could cause a car accident.
Loss of Sight or Other Senses
One of the most common reasons to take away the keys from an older adult is the deterioration of vision, hearing, and/or other senses. If your loved one is frequently hitting curbs, drifting into other lanes of traffic, having many close calls, or getting scrapes on the car, his or her vision may be too bad to safely drive. Take your loved one to a doctor to find out if a new glasses prescription could solve the problem, or if it’s too big an issue to allow the individual to continue operating a vehicle.
Drugs That Make Them Drowsy
Drowsy driving is a serious issue that takes thousands of lives every year. Even with a proper sleep schedule, senior citizens can find themselves unable to stay awake while driving. The problem is often prescription medications that make them drowsy. Review the medications your loved one is taking for warnings not to operate heavy machinery after consumption. Remember, drug reactions can also lead to drowsiness.
Remember, Driving Has No Maximum Age
No precise age exists as a “cut-off” for an older adult to stop driving. Unlike the minimum driving age of 15, no maximum driving age exists. Instead of a number, it’s the adult’s abilities that decide when he or she might no longer be safe to operate a motor vehicle. Don’t make this decision when your loved one turns a certain age. Instead, observe your parent, spouse, or other loved one for signs that he or she shouldn’t be driving. Catching an early sign can avoid serious injuries or car accidents.